China closely watching development of shooting incident

China will keep a close eye on the development of the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by the Philippine Coast Guard, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Friday.

China is deeply concerned about the incident and has strongly condemned the act, spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily news briefing.

Earlier Friday, the Philippine Coast Guard admitted killing a Taiwanese fisherman in seas near the northern Philippines on Thursday.

"(We) demand that the Philippines investigate the case immediately and explain the incident as soon as possible," Hua said.

"We wish to express deep grief over the death of the Taiwanese fisherman and give condolences to the victim's family," Hua said.

"What I want to stress is that the Chinese side is strongly concerned about the Philippines' repeated use of force against unarmed fishermen," she said.

Urging the Philippine side to address the incident appropriately, Hua said, "we will continue to keep a close watch on the development of the incident."

Regarding a Philippine media report stating that some Chinese vessels were spotted near Ren'ai Jiao, referred to as "Ayungin Shoal" by the Philippines, Hua said China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters, adding that Chinese government-owned ships are entitled to patrol there.

"The Chinese side urges concerned countries to follow the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea, refrain from making moves that could complicate the situation and make due efforts to maintain peace and stability in the South Sea," said the spokeswoman.